Journal

Our Chef Viki Geunes recently hosted a remarkable four hands event on December 4th and 5th, collaborating with the renowned Dominique Crenn of Atelier Crenn (San Francisco). Guests were treated to an innovative culinary experience with the best of French cuisine with a focus on fresh, local ingredients. The event was further elevated by a special collaboration with Domaine Arnaud Ente, featuring exquisite wines presented by winemaker Arnaud Ente himself.

We’re thrilled to announce that restaurant Zilte is officially the winner of the ‘Best By the Glass Wine List” in Belgium at the Star Wine List of the Year Awards 2024! What a huge achievement for our entire team, especially our sommelier extraordinaire, Aaron Moeraert! Aaron has an incredible passion for wine, and he’s always on the lookout for the best and most interesting bottles to add to our list. We couldn’t have done it without you! This win qualifies us for the Star Wine List International Final in June 2025, where we’ll be competing against the top wine lists from around the globe.

This Exquis Four Hands Experience with Jordnær (Denmark) was truly amazing! Chef Viki and our team joined forces with the 3 Michelin-starred Chef Eric Vildgaard and his wife, Tina Kragh Vildgaard, for a series of exclusive lunch and dinner events. Chef Vildgaard’s minimalist yet powerful approach brought the elegance of Nordic cuisine to the table, while our Chef Geunes’ playful take on textures and modern techniques added a unique Belgian twist. Thanks to our entire team, and especially team Jordnær, and all guests for making the weekend unforgettable!

With pride, we announce a new collaboration with Valke Vleug winery. After a successful edition in 2021, our Chef returns to the winery for 4 summer weekends.

Mark your calendars for one of the Hedonistic Memories days:
/ Saturday July 20th dinner & Sunday July 21st lunch
/ Saturday July 27th dinner & Sunday July 28th lunch
/ Saturday August 10th dinner & Sunday August 11th lunch
/ Saturday August 17th dinner & Sunday August 18th lunch

More information on the Valke Vleug website: www.valkevleug.be

We want to express our gratitude to Chef Martin Klein of Restaurant Ikarus (Austria) and the entire team at Hangar-7 for a month of culinary exploration in April. Chef Viki Geunes had the immense pleasure of sharing his culinary passion and creations at Restaurant Ikarus. It was a wonderful experience to bring his unique flavors and innovative dishes to Salzburg. Chef Geunes and his team are deeply grateful for the warm welcome and incredible support extended by the remarkable teams at Hangar-7 and Restaurant Ikarus. Their dedication and professionalism made this culinary journey truly unforgettable!

With pride, we think back to the European final of the Bocuse d’Or 2024, which took place in Trondheim, Norway. Winning national teams from various European countries competed for a medal. As proud representatives of Belgium, our team, led by Chef Archibald DePrince and Commis Thibaut Lenaerts, prepared for this competition with passion and dedication. Our own Chef Viki Geunes, serving as a jury member during this European final, acted as a mentor for our Belgian team. Unfortunately, the podium remained out of reach, but we warmly congratulate the winners! Special thanks go to Chef Archibald, Commis Thibaut, Coach Lode De Roover, and all others who contributed to our Belgian team. Many thanks to the organizers for these memorable days!

Reminiscing about the unforgettable evening of Sunday, February 25th, where culinary magic filled the air as Chef Arnaud Donckele joined us for an extraordinary “Exquis” Four Hands Dinner. It was an absolute honour to welcome Chef Donckele to our Zilte family and the synergy between him and our very own Chef Viki was wonderful. The inspiration behind this collaboration came from Chef Viki’s treasured experiences in Hotel Cheval Blanc in Saint-Tropez and Paris, where a friendship with Chef Donckele was born. Thanks a million to Arnaud and his talented team for sharing their expertise, passion, and creativity with us. And to our guests who joined us on this culinary adventure, thank you for your support and enthusiasm!

We are thrilled to announce that we have joined the prestigious Les Grandes Tables du Monde. This culinary organization unites the crème de la crème of restaurants worldwide, and we couldn’t be more honoured to be a part of it. Joining forces with like-minded colleagues isn’t just about gaining recognition among culinary elites; it’s about elevating the Belgian culinary scene to new heights. Together, we’re ready to transform Belgium into an international culinary hotspot. Let’s write the next chapter in Belgium’s culinary story!

Our Chef was present at the five-day St. Moritz Gourmet Festival 2024 held at various locations in the municipality. Celebrating the festival’s 30th anniversary, everything started with the Porsche Kitchen Party at Badrutt’s Palace Hotel. All five days were unforgettable, with esteemed 3-star guest Chefs. On Thursday, we co-hosted a 4-hands dinner with Chef Jean-Philippe Blondet at Grand Hotel Kronenhof. Saturday marked the grand finale at Grand Hotel des Bains Kempinski, where our Chef showcased his skills alongside other Chefs. Heartfelt thanks to the organizers, all Chefs, guests, our team and Grand Hotel Kronenhof for everything!

Our Chef Viki Geunes and his team had the honour to invited to cook at Villa Louise (Aachen, Germany), realising a unique afternoon together with the team of Villa Louise and C-Forward. Like Zilte, Creutz & Partners is a family business focused on creating amazing experiences for their guests and we love to help them to that. A huge thank you to the entire team for making this event unforgettable. Stay tuned for more fantastic memories to come!

We are delighted to share the fantastic news that Zilte has once again earned remarkable recognition in the culinary world, achieving a score of 18.5/20 in the Gault & Millau guide. This accomplishment is because of the dedication and talent of our entire team. We extend our heartfelt thanks to our guests, suppliers, and all those close to us for their support. This inspires us to continue delivering exceptional dining experiences, and we look forward to welcoming you at Zilte.

Zilte is once again included in the prestigious culinary list ‘La Liste’ this year! Based on the compilation of thousands of publications, hundreds of guidebooks, and millions of online reviews, La Liste offers the world’s best restaurant selection. We are truly honoured to find a place in the renowned selection of the world’s finest restaurants for global foodies. Our heartfelt appreciation goes out to our entire team, cherished guests, and valued suppliers. Our new score is an impressive 97.00 marking a one-point increase! More info: www.laliste.com

3 Michelin-star chefs Viki Geunes and Tim Boury join forces for a unique four hands experience. The Chefs will prepare together in September at Boury and in December at Zilte a tasting menu with dishes according to their own cooking style. This menu consists of a unique selection of appetizers, followed by 10 exquisite dishes based on their favorite products with an emphasis on fish, shellfish, and seafood, supplemented by terroir products from trusted suppliers. More information at www.zilte.be/exquis.

Our Chef Viki Geunes had the incredible honour of participating in this Seoul Food Fest 2023, cooking alongside some of the world’s finest Chefs. About the planning; Tuesday: prestigious Grand Star Dinner together with talented Chefs from around the globe. Thursday: Four Hands Dinner with Chef Hans Zhaner from restaurant STAY. Firday: Grand Gala Dinner at Grand Walkerhill Hotel on Chefs Tim Boury, Julien Royer, Jong-Wan Son and many more. Our Chef his time in Seoul was a whirlwind of culinary inspiration and cultural exploration.

‘Chef’s at the Parc’ took place earlier this year in May in The Netherlands. Chef Viki Geunes joined forces with culinary masters during the Opening Dinner of this beautiful Gourmet Festival. It was an evening of inspiring culinary styles and expertise, where the atmosphere was both refined and intimate, reflecting the deep personal friendships among the Chefs. All this unfolded within the grandeur of Restaurant Voltaire. Featured Visiting Chefs: Jan Hartwig, Thomas Buehner, Marco Mueller (all Germany); Heinz Beck (Italy) and Viki Geunes (Belgium).

Restaurant Zilte is a proud new member of the Relais & Châteaux collection. More than a brand, Relais & Châteaux represents a profound philosophy: to make a better world through cuisine and hospitality. And we could not agree more! Relais & Châteaux, established in 1954, is an association of more than 580 unique hotels and restaurants throughout the world, owned and operated by independent entrepreneurs – mostly families like ours – who are passionate about their craft and deeply committed to forging warm, lasting relationships with their guests. More info: www.relaischateaux.com

Viki Geunes of Zilte in Antwerp received the highest honor from Michelin. “I’ve been in the industry for 25 years and of course, I also feel that young ambitious generation emerging. About a year and a half ago, we decided to make a significant effort again. With success.” “At last.” That was the sentiment when Michelin hung the third star on the facade of Zilte yesterday afternoon. It took quite a while after Hertog Jan in 2012 for us to have a new three-star restaurant, but also because for Geunes himself, it had been fourteen years since he earned his second star. “Indeed, it’s been a while. And getting a third star was always the ambition!”

Viki Geunes, chef-owner of the gourmet restaurant ’t Zilte in Mol, is not only moving himself but also his staff, pots, and pans to the top of the MAS museum in Antwerp, where a kitchen of around 120 square meters will be installed. “No bad words about the Kempen,” the star chef said at the presentation, “but when you get the chance to move to such a vibrant place after ten years, you don’t have to think long.” Along with his wife Viviane Plaquet, Geunes is determined to make it a landmark for gastronomes, not just a ‘museum restaurant’. “We already have the A here, and next year it will go all the way to Z,” he said, referring to the well-known logo of the city and the Z of restaurant ’t Zilte.”

Viki Geunes of restaurant ’t Zilte in Mol has been chosen as the Chef of the Year by the GaultMillau restaurant guide. The restaurant guide for Belgium and Luxembourg in 2009 was presented on Monday at a press conference in Vilvoorde. At the age of 36, Geunes started working in a hotel-restaurant when he was 19. Earlier, his restaurant had already received a rating of 18 out of 20. In 2005, GaultMillau named him Young Top Chef.

’t Zilte in Mol can now officially be referred to as a two-star restaurant. The restaurant owned by Viki Geunes and Viviane Plaquet has been awarded a second Michelin star in the 2008 Michelin Guide. Chef Viki Geunes of ’t Zilte was overjoyed when he learned yesterday morning that his restaurant had been awarded a second Michelin star. “I was in the midst of sourcing new ingredients when a colleague informed me of the joyful news. It’s certainly a pleasant surprise, but I had a slight suspicion that we had a chance,” explains the proud chef.